Your thoughts on websites for sales?

I know there’s a thread on the personal website question from June 2020, but since things have changed since then (thank God!) I’m asking again. Background info, I was very active in breeding corn snakes in the early 2010s, had a disabling accident and had to scale the collection way back and take a break from breeding. My accident/ injury left me with some long term issues, including vision, muscle problems, and trigeminal troubles. Screens aren’t my favorite thing, MM addiction notwithstanding :wink:. I’m thrilled to be producing & working toward goals again. I’m expecting 5 clutches this season, & at least one girl will likely double clutch. I’m currently working on getting all of my snakes on Instagram. Do I really need a website in today’s market? If you think I do, can you recommend a platform? I am debating getting someone to help with such things as I know I can’t do it all. Thanks for your thoughts!

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I wouldn’t say you need a website if you have social media.
I don’t know anyone who’s got a website that’s still running or active atm (uk). Most got left and not updated, or they get updated a couple times a year…
I don’t have social media myself so I rely on mm etc to rehome my lot.
Probably should get something else but :sweat_smile:

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Thanks, Elisha. I’d actually be thrilled to not try and deal with a website, lol. I’ll never be selling hundreds of snakes.

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My honest opinion as someone inside MM and who has spent literal 1000s upon 1000s of hours digging up old dead websites on the wayback machine for the Morphpedia… don’t waste your money. We’re about to make stores a lot more powerful soon as well with a lot of personal websitey features.

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Thanks Thomas. That was my first thought, but as my kids always tell me I’m a bit of a dinosaur I definitely wanted others’ opinions!

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If someone has a website, I love to look through it and see their breeding projects and other things that they might have posted like shipping terms. I much prefer looking at a well put together simple website than having to navigate social media (I find both Facebook and Instagram pretty terrible to use for things like snake breeding), but I still wouldn’t say a website is necessary. I think only one of the people I’ve recently bought from maintains a personal website.

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Yes! Can’t wait!

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Thanks, Olivia. I have definitely made use of a couple of well curated websites in the past year or two. Like you, I always enjoy looking though those.

I absolutely agree! I can do without the yammering and squabbling that FB seems to promote. Instagram seems like the best way to show collection photos, but I’m finding it a bit unwieldy for explanations. Maybe it’s not just me!

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Personally, I made a website using Google Sites. It was very easy (no coding) and had some wonderful options that I wanted to use. My website doesn’t have a domain address so if someone wanted to visit it they would have to Google it’s URL. It is not finished or setup for sales and it was more of a project just because I wanted to make one. If anyone is interested here is the link.

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For me personally I’m planning to set up a domain (hopefully do that and set up an LLC sometime this summer). I’m not planning to sell through the website (at least at first), I would just have sales through MorphMarket . I would use the website for ads for the animals, linked to the MorphMarket page to purchase, eventually I would likely sell some supplies on the website and I would write some informational articles on the website.
If you don’t plan to sell supplies or write articles then I don’t think there’s a need for a website. I think it would be too much work to set up and keep when a social media page would work just as well.

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I think that is what I am going to do.

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Interesting thoughts, thanks for sharing. I’ll definitely check out your website, Riley. I don’t plan to sell supplies, but I probably would want to put up an article or three. At this point, I’m thinking I might want to pass on the website for now. It’s taking me too long to even get the Instagram set up as it should be! I can see where it might be a positive thing but I’m hesitant to stretch myself too thin. If I bring on a helper who l loves the tech aspects, that would be great. Until then, as it appears that the community consensus is that a MorphMarket Store and some social media is acceptable, I think that’s what I’ll do.

Btw, the new QR codes are definitely a nice touch! Way to go, MorphMarket !

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I have a website, haven’t really updated it, but mostly just planning on using it to sell merch/art, as well as my own informational articles about how I care for/breed the species I work with. I may also use it to sell supplies and/or feeders in the future.

People looking to buy any live animals will be directed to MorphMarket .

I was gonna use it for showing my collection/projects and for record keeping of past clutches as well, but seems most of that will be covered by MorphMarket NFS :joy:

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I started off with a website with go daddy to let people follow me on way to breeding but when it came time to renew I let it go. I have a Facebook page with 500+ followers and a tiktok(yes I do, dont laugh at me). Through social media I have been slowly building a customer base and an audience so hopefully when the time comes I will also have people interested in buying. I am also apart of several reptile FB groups close to home and far where people can offer snakes up for sale(done properly since FB doesn’t like selling animals).
Social media is also a great place to track peoples interests in what you are doing and grab peoples attention. Where as a website I cant tell if people are interested unless they call or email.

I don’t know that’s just my two cents. I feel that social media is more then enough and not worth paying for a website

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Thank you both for those thoughts!

I definitely had that thought, too!

I am thinking this, as well. I have some double vision issues which make it a challenge to deal with too much screen time. Reading everyone’s contributions (thank you all again!) has been interesting and enlightening. I’m definitely not going to try a website before this hatching season is over.

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There is a blind guy on TikTok that uses text to speech for a lot of things maybe you could try something like that so you wont have to look at the screen as much.

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A lot of people update their website before, say, MorphMarket . Whereas, say you find a reptile on MorphMarket you really want. Then go to their website and you dont see it cuz its sold. For some people MorphMarket is their main selling place. And, for some its only a secondary selling place, behind their website.

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That’s an interesting idea. I’ll secondly have to check into it. Thanks!

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I’ve definitely noticed that, also. For those who have a website and also sell here on MorphMarket, I find it to be super helpful which is more likely to be their primary selling venue

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This guy. sorry he has way too many videos for me to find out which one lol

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